The archery quiver has been described as a container for conveniently carrying and storing arrows for use by an archer. The quiver is a handy tool which allows the archer to have convenient access to the arrows during various archery events. These events not only cover recreational shooting, but tournament competition as well as use during bow hunting.
As is well understood the position of the quiver during hunting can become quite critical to the hunter. Arrows are long, thin projectiles that have stabilizing feathers or vanes at one end and a sharpened tip or point at the opposite end. A notch, provided at the feathered end, allows the arrow to engage the bow string to stabilize the arrow and provide direct energy transfer from the bow string to the arrow at the time that the arrow is released.
Most quivers are arranged so that the pointed end of the arrow is inserted into the quiver to protect the points and hold or retain the arrows. Thus, the feathered or "nock" end of the arrow extends usually beyond the quiver in an exposed manner. These feathers or vanes are usually colorful and quite visible so that the archer can track the arrow in flight and identify its position in the target. In many cases, whether the user is engaged in competition or hunting determines the type of quiver and the mounting arrangement for the quiver. In the past the hunting quivers have been mounted on the back of the user by means of a strap or have been hung by a strap from the belt or waistband of the user. In many cases where the belt has been used as the support for the quiver a second strap at the bottom of the quiver has been tied to the leg to hold and position the quiver during ambulation. A third quiver mount which has become quite popular with competition archers as well as hunters is the arrangement where the quiver is mounted directly on the archer's bow
From a patenting standpoint the first "bow" quiver was patented in the United States in 1949, by F. B. Bear (U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,068). This quiver was a unique approach to the sport of archery, since it secured arrows individually, rather than clustering them together and more significantly the quiver mounted directly onto the bow itself. Another quiver design patented in the United States in the same year, by J. A. Schoenike (U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,101), also held arrows individually in custom sized channels but maintained the traditional pouch design and was carried separate from the bow.
During following years numerous other "bow" quiver designs followed, which greatly broadened the original concept. Many of these quivers could be mounted at various angles to accommodate the archer's preference with regard to shooting position In addition, these developments included new mechanical arrangements for attaching and mounting the quivers to the bow as well as the person of the archer. Many of these included quick disconnect type methods, which allowed the quiver to be attached and removed quite readily in order to replenish the arrow supply of the archer. As an additional feature a patent by H. J. Rose, 1973, (U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,734) incorporated into the bow quiver a mounting element for use in attaching the quiver to the belt of an archer after detaching it from the bow.
Modern arrow quivers fall into three (3) categories; back quivers, bow quivers and hip quivers. All bow quivers hold arrows secured individually, but back and hip quivers can exhibit either type of arrow carrying design, such as, those which cluster arrows together or those which secure arrows individually. Existing designs in hip quivers, which secure arrows individually, are carried upon a waist belt, usually disconnect from the belt quickly and have a rigid spine design, which holds the arrows at a specific angle with relation to the belt support, as well as the ground. Most of these quivers have leg straps or ties to stabilize the lower portion of the quiver to the adjacent leg. Some of these designs even have a continuously pivoting yoke at the waist attachment which is provided to relive the torquing forces at the attachment due to walking or squatting, which are created during use. This is typical of the type of quiver which is mounted both at the waist as well as being tied to the leg, simultaneously.
The many prior art designs which presently exist with hip quivers which are preferred by hunters limit the bowhunter's ability to deal with varying terrain and to remain concealed, and camouflaged with the environment. A rigid fixed angle at which the arrows are held prohibits the archer from squatting against a steep hillside or among underbrush since the feathered or "nock" ends of the arrows will jam into and engage the surrounding terrain and foliage. Furthermore, should the archer need to crawl on "all fours", such quivers position the arrows so that the feathers or vanes extend high above the archers back, which is a decided detriment to his intended goal of concealment and camouflage. In addition, if the quiver is also attached to the leg of the archer this feature causes the feathered ends of the arrows to "flag" or wave while moving or ambulating which is again a decided detriment to the goal of the hunter.